


Rivers Of Time

by enderstorm



Series: Disjection [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Bonus Chapter, Dissociative Visions, Earth, Gen, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Homeworld Hierarchy (Steven Universe), Just read Astral Displacement, Only kind of canon, Time Travel, Visions, dont know why, these tags are all scrambled up, whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-29 13:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21411019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enderstorm/pseuds/enderstorm
Summary: Time is like a river that splits into creeks, or pools into lakes, or careens down waterfalls.(Takes place between Chapter 24 and 25 of Astral Displacement.)
Series: Disjection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1264544
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42





	Rivers Of Time

**Author's Note:**

> So... This was originally going to be chapter 25 of Astral Displacement, but after I had written the whole thing I realised that I had basically made ~9000 words of filler. The main story plot didn't really go anywhere, until right at the end. I still had fun writing it, though, and I didn't want it to all go to waste, so, here. Have this bonus chapter.
> 
> The show has this system where the show is canon, and all the games and comics and stuff are level 2 canon. Consider this bonus chapter level 2 canon, where it's canon unless overridden by the main story.

Sapphire could see exactly where the White Sapphire was. She couldn’t see where she was going, not clearly. There were too many possibilities. But she _ could _ see what it would take to bring her down.  
  
The White Sapphire could see the path of fate. She could see _everyone’s_ path of fate. She was assuming that everyone would _stick_ to that path.  
  
Sapphire didn’t intend to. She was going to be as unpredictable as possible. There was a very confusing way to do that.  
  
Now, what she was about to do was not allowed. And if Pink Diamond did not specifically request that she do whatever she needed to, then she would likely be shattered.  
  
She might be shattered anyway if her own Diamond, or Yellow Diamond, found out. They were possible futures.  
  
But it was the only way that she could think of to outmaneuver this White Sapphire. She wouldn’t need a guard for this stage of her plan. Just a fast tongue.  
  
She arrived at her destination. The archives. Every artifact, gem or otherwise, was catalogued here. And if it wasn’t _stored_ here, then it at least listed where it _was_ stored. She was after one artifact in particular. She did not have clearance to locate it, and she most certainly did not have clearance to _take_ it. But she planned to, anyway.  
  
She strolled in, like she was supposed to be there. She wasn’t, of course, but the head Archivist didn’t need to know that.  
  
She glanced around the room. The ceiling was tall, perhaps more than the items themselves demanded. Of course, the Diamonds had business here occasionally, so the roof was made to accommodate them. The shelves were tall, and there were multiple levels of them, a relatively thin balcony denoting each ‘level’. There were Aquamarines and Pearls darting about the chamber, sorting and cleaning everything respectively.  
  
“Oh! May I help you, your clarity?” Someone asked her.  
  
She looked up, peering through her bangs. Standing atop a floating platform was a yellow court Jade, her floor length dress fluttering as she descended from atop a very tall shelf. Her hair was styled oddly, like ears. The round green cabochon gem resting on her right cheek gleamed in the light, as she smiled widely.  
  
“You may.” Sapphire nodded. Being an aristocratic gem bought her a lot of leeway among lower class gems. Granted, Jades were not much lower than her. “I am looking for the list of Earth artifacts.”  
  
“Do you have clearance for that, your clarity?”  
  
No, of course not. “Yes.” She lied. “I am here on Pink Diamond’s orders.”  
  
“Wow! I didn’t even know she’d reformed!” The Jade gave her a toothy grin. “In that case, your clarity, I can help you. Follow me!”  
  
She was led over to a tall pink filing cabinet. “Here’s all the lists of artifacts found and contained on all of Pink Diamond’s colonies. This one is for Earth specifically.” The Jade explained. “Oh! Hold on, I think we have a datapad around here somewhere~”  
  
Sapphire was barely paying attention. She was focussed on something on the far side of the room. She couldn’t make out any words, but she did see an Era One Peridot holding a small hand mirror, and she was arguing with an Aquamarine. From the looks of it, the Peridot was attempting to modify it.  
  
How strange.  
  
She blinked, and returned her attention in front of her. Jade was still rummaging around in a pile.  
  
“This place seems rather disorganised.” Sapphire noted.  
  
Jade paused, and poked her head up from a pile of stuff. “I-It’s not normally like this, your clarity. This whole place is just in a little bit of a tizzy right now, is all. Yellow Diamond ordered something ancient pulled from deep storage and we’re pulling up every bit of information we have on it, so-”  
  
She stopped talking suddenly, emerging from the pile victoriously. “Ah-ha! Here, your clarity.” Jade announced, presenting Sapphire a small yellow datapad.  
  
Sapphire rolled her eye, imperceptibly. It seems she would not be able to hear whatever gossip the Jade was about to spill. It was probably for the best, since she doubted that the Jade had the clearance to talk about it.  
  
She scrolled through the list. Most artifacts were here, but there were a few still on Earth, deemed too unstable to move.  
  
And one of them was what she was looking for.  
  
She was being vague on purpose, of course. There was significantly less chance of the White Sapphire finding out what she was after if she kept herself vague. There was no way the White Sapphire _didn’t_ know that she was being hunted at this point.  
  
She’d located the artifact in question. It was located in an underwater temple on Earth, but its exact condition was unknown. The shrine destroyed and rebuilt itself every century. But it had a warp pad, and that was enough for her to go on.  
  
“Thank you, Archivist.” Sapphire curtseyed. The Jade blushed in response, probably not used to higher caste gems showing her any respect.  
  
“Y-You’re welcome, your clarity.” She saluted, returning to her hoverpad.  
  
Excellent. Now, she’d have to hurry out of here, preferably before anyone actually questioned her ‘clearance’. Not that it was likely that anyone would, not many gems would question a Sapphire, but she would rather not take chances.  
  
Of course, her next destination was even _more_ illegal. And she _would_ need an armed escort for this.  
  
She returned to the warp pad, and returned to Pink Diamond’s palace. She floated over to the barracks, and buzzed on the door panel.  
  
It opened, and one of the two Jaspers that had escorted her before nodded to her in understanding.  
  
“I will require an escort.” Sapphire said.  
  
“Of course, your clarity.” The Jasper nodded. “Hey, 8XJ, grab 8XL and get over here!” She shouted. “This Sapphire needs an escort!”  
  
“We’re supposed to head back to the Zoo, soon, you know!” 8XJ shot back.  
  
“Oh, I know. But this is important to our Diamond!” The Jasper shouted. “I think…”  
  
“It is.” The Sapphire nodded. “Our Diamond’s safety depends on my safety.”  
  
“Are you going somewhere _dangerous?_” The Jasper asked in concern.  
  
“No. Just to Earth. But I would prefer not to be questioned by the galaxy warp guards. Or the few colonists on Earth. Or anyone, really.”  
  
“Ah.” The Jasper nodded. She gazed into the large room again. “What is _taking_ those two so long?”  
  
“I can foresee that they will arrive eventually.” Sapphire replied.  
  
Shortly after, the two Amethysts rushed out of the barracks, saluting Sapphire.  
  
“What took you so long?” The Jasper growled.  
  
“I don’t know, why do you beta kindergarten Jaspers act like you’re Agates?” 8XL replied sarcastically.  
  
Sapphire cleared her throat politely. “The sooner we get started, the better.”  
  
“Of course! Forgive us, your clarity!” The two Amethysts saluted again.  
  
It always amazed Sapphire how quickly social gems like Quartzes could go from playful banter to respecting their superiors. They didn’t seem to care that they were talking out of line, but the second they were asked to pay attention, they did. Instantly.  
  
“We will need to go to the Galaxy Warp.” Sapphire told her two guards. “Our destination is Earth.”  
  
“Yes, your clarity!”  
  
She floated down the pink corridors, her two Amethysts following close behind. Predictably, when she approached the Galaxy Warp, the two Rose Quartz guards crossed their weapons in front of the doorway.  
  
“State your purpose.” One of them grunted tersely.  
  
“I’m on important business for Pink Diamond.” Sapphire responded, keeping her tone level.  
  
“Yeah? Well, too bad. The Galaxy Warp is shut down.” One of the Rose Quartzes smirked.  
  
8XJ groaned. “Oh, come _on._ If you’re going to prank someone, you could at least make it believable.”  
  
“This isn’t a prank.” The other Rose Quartz guard said. “Some rebel sabotaged all the pads. We’re waiting for a tech to fix them.”  
  
“The White Sapphire.” Sapphire cursed. “How didn’t I foresee this?”  
  
_S h e c a n s e e i t a l l . T i m e b r e a k i n g a n d s p r e a d i n g o u t , f r a c t u r i n g t h e f u t u r e l i k e r i v e r s e r o d e t h e g r o u n d ._  
  
She glanced at her palm in panic. Her gem was still there, intact. There were very faint crack marks running along it, but her gem was functioning normally. It was fine, everything was fine.  
  
“Your clarity?” Even the smirking Rose Quartz looked concerned now, wondering if the seer needed healing.  
  
It was fine. Perfectly fine. The White Sapphire had simply outplayed her.  
  
“Fine.” She mumbled, composing herself. “In that case... I’ll need to get to Earth manually.”  
  
“How are you gonna do that, your clarity?” 8XJ asked.  
  
“The most likely scenario is that I request a ship from Pink Diamond.” Sapphire replied. “So instead, I’ll carry out the most unlikely scenario.”  
  
“That doesn’t sound… safe.” 8XL said, uncertain.  
  
“No. It does not.” Sapphire replied neutrally. “Follow me.”

* * *

She arrived at the spaceport. It was a bustling hub of gems of varying caste, either aristocrats and commanders flaunting their new vessels, or maintenance gems ferrying cargo around.  
  
Security was impenetrable here. There were Topaz guards stationed at every corner, gem scanners at every doorway, and robonoids hovering high above, watching everything carefully.  
  
Despite all of that, Sapphire had a goal, and vaguely, a plan.  
  
There was one gem in particular that stood out amongst all the rest. An Emerald, boasting to her loyal admirers about how _important_ she was. About her personal ship, the Sun Incinerator, blah, blah, blah, Sapphire had tuned her out before she even started speaking, instead focussing intently on her ship.  
  
There were exactly sixty seven elite Citrine guards inside. In every possible future where Sapphire snuck aboard that vessel, she would be located and captured. And Sapphire attempting to sneak aboard and steal the ship _was_ the most likely future, at least right now.  
  
So of course, she chose the least likely future.  
  
“Excuse me, my Emerald.” She curtseyed, cutting off whatever inane story she was re-telling. “I need your ship to fly me to Earth. By order of Pink Diamond.”  
  
“What? You want to use my precious Sun Incinerator as a mere _transport?!_ Hahahahaha! No.” Emerald laughed at her.  
  
“The galaxy warp has been sabotaged.” Sapphire said. “Your ship’s nova thrusters are my current best option.”  
  
“_I_ have more important things to do.”  
  
“More important than helping Pink Diamond?” 8XJ growled.  
  
“_Yes._” Emerald sneered. “Yellow Diamond is rallying her armies for something big. And naturally, _I_ am at the head of the fleet. Behind my lustrous Diamond, of course.”  
  
Sapphire couldn’t See what that was. Curious, but not important.  
  
“I don’t have time to help you _or_ your Di- Why would _you_ be on orders from Pink Diamond, anyway?”  
  
“My future vision led me to her.” Sapphire responded simply. “I suppose… I cannot foresee you changing your mind. Hm.”  
  
Well, it was the least likely future for a reason. She should probably leave before the Emerald calls security.  
  
Perhaps she should draw a line between ‘least likely’ and ‘completely improbable’. Why would Pink Diamond order a Blue Sapphire to appropriate a Yellow Court ship? And besides all that, why should the Emerald have listened to her? She was one of the few gem types that Sapphire _didn’t_ outrank.  
  
Sapphire concentrated. There _had_ to be another way.  
  
Ah. Indeed there was. And this way was _so_ unlikely that _no one_ could predict it.  
  
“Uh, your clarity… What _are_ you trying to do, here?” 8XL asked.  
  
“I am trying to reach Earth, unpredictably.”  
  
“Why unpredictably?” 8XJ asked.  
  
“So the White Sapphire cannot track me.” Sapphire replied.  
  
“Why would-”  
  
“Because she is an enemy of your Diamond.” Sapphire finished. “Now, follow me to my Diamond’s palace.”  
  
“Is-”  
  
“Yes.” Sapphire nodded, before the Amethyst could even finish asking the question. It would indeed be even more dangerous and illegal. But none of it would matter once she got a hold of the artifact.

* * *

“Your clarity, why are we here? There’s no way this is allowed.”  
  
“It is not.” Sapphire stated calmly, as she floated across a restricted bridge to her Diamond’s bubble room. Two blue Topaz guards blocked the only doorway.  
  
This was _super_ not allowed. Part of Sapphire was exhilarated. She was a rebel. She was literally acting like a _rebel_ gem. Breaking all the rules, disregarding all the consequences.  
  
But the _best_ part was that she _wasn’t_ a rebel. This was all to serve Pink Diamond. It was an amazing feeling.  
  
Her escorts weren’t as amazed.  
  
“This is where I must part ways with the two of you.” Sapphire inclined her head slightly.  
  
“O-Oh!” 8XJ smiled uneasily. “So, we get to head back to our barracks, your clarity?”  
  
“Unfortunately not.” She said. She kept her voice level. She couldn’t afford to let any emotions taint her perception, not at this crucial stage. And there definitely could be no ice. That would ruin everything.  
  
Her futures are strange, what can she say?  
  
“Distract the Topaz guards.” She ordered, rising above them, her dress fluttering in the breeze.  
  
“Uh-”  
  
“Hey, wait-”  
  
She zoomed up, far above them. Well out of earshot. Hopefully out of eyesight.  
  
She could See the two Topazes moving forward to apprehend the intruders, leaving the area behind them completely blind. She flipped around in midair, descending gracefully and silently behind them. Not having feet was an amazing advantage sometimes.  
  
She snuck into the bubble room, and luckily, there was no security on the inside.  
  
Curiously, White Diamond was not located here, but that was far beyond the scope of Sapphire’s mission right now. She was after someone else.  
  
She floated up to the bubble in question, tucking it under her arm. She could not pop it now. That would not end well. Instead, she hastily retreated up, the same way she entered, feeling a brief pang of sorrow for her two Amethyst escorts, who she could See were now bubbled.  
  
She could not afford to protect them. This was still, after all, incredibly illegal.  
  
_Stealing_ one of her Diamond’s prisoners?  
  
Such. A. Rebel.  
  
She found a safe space. A silent space, where no one should disturb her while she waited for her new ally to reform.  
  
She popped the bubble, the Aquamarine’s gem falling into her hand.  
  
“Hm.” Someone hummed from behind her. Sapphire whirled around, to see a White version of herself. She was different, of course. The aristocracy were allowed free reign with their forms and appearances. But she was a Sapphire. _That_ White Sapphire.  
  
“How did-” Sapphire bit her tongue, composing herself after her brief moment of surprise.  
  
“You forget that I can see the future.”  
  
“No one can see the future.” Sapphire shook her head. “We can see possibilities. And we steer the course of fate by influencing those around us.”  
  
“_You_ can see _fractures._ Because you’ve _been_ fractured.” The White Sapphire said.  
  
...Fractured? Shards, it was happening again. She looked down to her gem in a frenzy, her eye glossing over as she was pulled into a vision.  
  
_A l l t h e b o u n d a r i e s a r e f a l l i n g a p a r t . T h e w a v e s o f t i m e b r e a k a g a i n s t t h e r o c k s . S h e s h u d d e r s a n d w r i t h e s . S h e w a t c h e s i t c r u m b l i n g ._  
  
It was still there. Still in one piece. Her gem was fine. There was no pain, no pieces. She was still intact.  
  
The White Sapphire continued boasting, like she hadn’t noticed anything. “Only _I_ can see the path of time. And I know that we all follow our predestined fate.”  
  
Sapphire cleared her mind, focussing only on the present.  
  
“There is something that Pink Diamond taught me. And that is that everyone is in control of their own future. I realised this when I told her the worst case scenario at one of her court sessions, and she surprised me by _altering her future._ She prevented that future from occurring, and instead, chose her own. She made me truly aware of the rivers of time.” Sapphire smiled.  
  
“But that _wasn’t_ Pink Diamond.”  
  
“Ah.” Sapphire nodded. “Yes, that would make sense. That would likely be why I predicted her asking me to call her ‘Steven’ briefly before that.”  
  
“...Argh!” The White Sapphire shook her head in anger, completely losing her composure. “_How_ are you doing this? White Diamond’s former Pearl was supposed to be the one to tell me that! Not _you!_ You didn’t even _exist_ in my vision until the false Pink Diamond talked to you!”  
  
“It seems your ‘predestined fate’ has been altered.” Sapphire smirked. “Now if you don’t mind, I have somewhere to be.”  
  
“No. Wait. You _know._ You just realised the truth about this ‘Pink Diamond’. This ‘Steven’ entity.” The White Sapphire said, now sounding desperate.  
  
“Yes, I suppose I do.”  
  
“So why don’t you care? That some _alien_ is masquerading as the radiant and innocent Pink Diamond?”  
  
“Does it matter?” Sapphire asked in response. White Sapphire staggered backwards. “Whatever her mind prefers to be called, her gem is still the same. She _is_ Pink Diamond.”  
  
“But… No! No, she isn’t! I will _not_ accept this! That _thing_ is not! Pink! Diamond!” White Sapphire screamed, flying off, a blizzard raging behind her.  
  
“...I knew it wouldn’t have been likely for her to see reason.” Sapphire sighed to herself.  
  
Such is fate, unfortunately.  
  
...No. That is the White Sapphire’s mentality.  
  
Still, Sapphire wasn’t naive. The White Sapphire would not calm down. She would not surrender, or accept Pink Diamond as she currently was. She would not rest until she has undermined Pink Diamond, exposing her.  
  
She must be stopped. Sapphire still planned to do that, but...  
  
“I at least tried to talk to her. I can say that.” She whispered to nothing. There was no one here. The Aquamarine would not reform for a few moments.  
  
Enough unlikely futures and unpredictability. She knew exactly what she must do from this point on.  
  
Finally, the Aquamarine’s gem had started to glow. It floated up, taking form for the first time in probably a century. Sapphire wasn’t sure, to be honest. She looked to the future, not the past. She just knew that this Aquamarine would help her.  
  
Probably.  
  
It was likely, anyway.  
  
Sapphire smoothed out her dress and floated down to the ground, bending forward slightly, giving the illusion that she was kneeling. It was kind of impossible without, you know, _legs._  
  
Aquamarine finally became sentient again. “M-My Diamond, I-”  
  
She blinked. She was on a roof, somewhere. Or a platform. On _Homeworld._ Her Diamond wasn’t here.  
  
“Hello.” Sapphire waved her gem hand. “Are you well?”  
  
“I was just-” The Aquamarine blushed and cleared her throat. “A Sapphire? What can I do for you, your clarity?”  
  
“Where were you ‘just’?” Sapphire asked, partly out of curiosity.  
  
“I thought I was just… on my Diamond’s ship.” The Aquamarine blinked. “Did- Did she let me out?”  
  
“Not directly.” Sapphire said. “I simply acted on my future vision. I require your assistance.”  
  
“Of course, your clarity.” Aquamarine nodded. “...Anything.” She added, as an afterthought.  
  
“I need a ride to Earth.” Sapphire said. “It’s important to Pink Diamond that I locate something there. And the galaxy warp has been sabotaged by the- by... a rebel.”  
  
“...I don’t have a ship, your clarity.” Aquamarine admitted, blushing with shame.  
  
“Yes you do.” Sapphire replied. “White Diamond’s spaceport in Facet W60V, bay 5.”  
  
“...Why would it be _there?_ I left it on… one of Pink Diamond’s moons.”  
  
“I don’t know. I can’t see the past.” Sapphire said, the corners of her lips twitching downward very slightly. “But I _can_ see the future. And the most likely outcome is that your ship is there.”  
  
“I also don’t have an antigravity wand.” Aquamarine said, some of her whiny voice returning. “I need _that_ to be complete.”  
  
Sapphire cursed inwardly.  
  
No. No, they would have to, wouldn’t they?  
  
“Fine. We will take a detour to requisitions.” Sapphire relented. The antigravity wand would be incredibly useful in safely handling some of the artifacts they would encounter on Earth. That was now a future she was aware of.  
  
Sapphire floated up, and the Aquamarine sprouted her water wings. The two of them zoomed off to yet another location, deep inside Yellow Diamond’s quarter of Homeworld.

* * *

It seems she wasn’t quite over unpredictable outcomes. The technology district isn’t somewhere Sapphire would have ever thought she’d find herself. It’s not a place for aristocrats. The streets and walkways were dirty, caked in a thin layer of dust. Not neglected or forgotten, just dusty. Cleanliness wasn’t important here. Efficiency was, and it wasn’t very efficient to clean something that would just accumulate _ more _ dust.  
  
Function over form. Always. That seemed to be the Yellow Court way.  
  
Sapphire was glad she could float, in any case. She didn’t wish for her form to become dirty.  
  
Aquamarine knew where she was going. Sapphire only knew by proxy. She could See the place where Aquamarine was _most likely_ going to, given all the clearly labelled signs dotted around.  
  
She blushed, faintly. She didn’t even need future vision to read and follow clearly labelled signs. Of which there were a lot.  
  
She slowed, just for a moment. She could have sworn she just spotted the Era One Peridot from before, in the archives, tinkering with that same mirror. She also thought she saw two more Peridots, these ones Era Two, following her.  
  
What did Yellow Diamond want with a _mirror?_  
  
Sapphire could not see any likely futures. But from logic alone, she doubted that it was so she could look at her reflection. There was clearly something else about the mirror that Sapphire didn’t know. An ancient artifact, pulled from deep storage...  
  
Well, it wasn’t important, anyway. Not to her current task.  
  
She sped up to fall in line next to Aquamarine, who had flown ahead. “Here.” She said, fluttering her wings in anticipation.  
  
Yes. The sign said ‘requisitions’.  
  
The line was short, mercifully. Just because Sapphire could foresee that something would happen _eventually_ did not mean that she liked to wait.  
  
There was a Peridot, a tiny little Peridot, that had somehow lost her limb enhancers. Sapphire almost thought she heard Aquamarine stifle a haughty laugh at the sight of the diminutive green gem angrily shouting at the gem behind the counter.  
  
Behind her was a Pearl, probably some aristocrat’s errand Pearl, holding a broken material weapon. Almost definitely a trophy piece. She likely just needed a small amount of regenerative fluid. No one forged weapons anymore. Gems that were made to fight already _had_ their own weapons, and those that weren’t didn’t need any.  
  
“You’re just staring, your clarity.” Aquamarine clicked her tongue at her, in almost a reprimanding tone.  
  
Oh. Was she? Sapphire had lost track.  
  
Sapphire hazarded that the gem working there was a Cinnabar. She’d seen very few. She was an aristocrat, after all, and Cinnabars were... well, glorified couriers. There was typically one stationed at every galaxy warp, on every colony. If you needed something, they made sure it arrived.  
  
Not a gem type that Sapphires ever had to acknowledge. Which is why she didn’t recognise it from a distance.  
  
Aquamarine approached the counter, finally. “I require a new antigravity wand.” She huffed.  
  
“And here I thought you Aquamarines were perfect in everything you do.” The tall, lanky red gem grunted. “Don’t you have perfect memory? How did you lose it, then?”  
  
“I didn’t lose it. It was destroyed.” Aquamarine sighed, thoroughly exasperated. “Obviously, you dullard. How _dare_ you talk to me like that?”  
  
“Oh, I’m so sorry for my disrespect, your tininess.” The Cinnabar mocked. “One cute widdle magic wand coming up.”  
  
Aquamarine fumed, and Sapphire hummed in confusion. “Is this how gems treat each other when they are not constantly being watched?”  
  
“Cinnabar’s always like that.” The limbless Peridot grumbled from off to the side. “The only gem I’ve even _remotely_ seen her show respect to was a Pyrope. Think they know each other.”  
  
“She’s begging to be shattered.” Aquamarine said, a dark look adorning her face.  
  
“Hah!” Cinnabar laughed from inside the warehouse. She could hear them, clearly. “Shatter _me?_ Go ahead! Of course, who would take up this illustrious duty, then? You know you’d _never_ get what you requisition if the requisition officer was killed.”  
  
“Yeah.” The Peridot sulked. “She’s clever about it. She knows exactly what she can get away with. Which is a lot, considering the lack of, you know, any…” The Peridot trailed off as she looked at exactly who was down here.  
  
An Aquamarine was uncommon, but not unheard of. But a Sapphire? Down here, in the low class areas?  
  
“...aristocracy.” She finished, lamely.  
  
“I’m only here to oversee Aquamarine.” Sapphire said, continuing to levitate slightly above the ground. She is _not_ getting dust on her dress. “The Cinnabar can act however she wants. I can foresee that she will do her job eventually anyway.”  
  
“Don’t phrase it like _that._” Aquamarine admonished. “You make it sound like I’ve done something _wrong._”  
  
“Didn’t you?” Sapphire tilted her head slightly. “You were in a bubble.”  
  
“That was all a misunderstanding.” Aquamarine brushed off her questioning tone. She turned her attention back to the warehouse counter. “I’d appreciate you hurrying up back there!”  
  
“Oh my _stars._ Would it hurt you upper crust shaleballs to just _shut up and wait?”_  
  
“...Shaleballs?” The Peridot marvelled. “That’s a new one.”  
  
“Personally, Cinnabar, I don’t care what you say. Your words are meaningless. But you really could stand to be more polite. Some high class gems are more volatile than I.” Sapphire warned. _“Like present company.”_ She added, under her breath.  
  
“Yeah? _I_ was on Baysee. I had a great position maintaining the galaxy warp. But when it all went pear-cut, I lost friends to you upper crust, because you were too important to lose. You _had_ to evacuate first.” Cinnabar spat. “Now I work this _stupid_ job handing out replacement toys to ungrateful, pompous, _pebbles_ like _you_.” As if to emphasise her point, she shoved the small blue stick into Aquamarine’s face.  
  
“Oh, how sad.” Aquamarine snapped, sarcastically. “Look. _I’m crying._”  
  
“Aquamarine.” Sapphire said, so _done_ with everything right now. “We don’t have time for her. She’s not worth it.”  
  
“Hmph.” Aquamarine huffed, threading the wand into her hair. “Unlike _you,_ I respect my superiors.”

* * *

White Diamond’s spaceport was the complete opposite of the one she was at before.  
  
There was _ no one _ here. There were ships, but the owners were either imprisoned or occupied.  
  
There was one ship here that stood out amongst the rest, though. A blue saucer class ship.  
  
“Oh.” Aquamarine gaped. “It really _is_ here.” She frowned. “Why? Who used it?”  
  
“I don’t know. Pink Diamond might, but you will have to try and ask her later. We _have_ to go to Earth.” Sapphire said. “And fast.”  
  
“Oh, I can _do_ fast. But why? What’s on that old colony?”  
  
“An artifact.” Sapphire said slowly, carefully. “I cannot tell you any more than that. Not yet. Not here.”  
  
They passed through a scanner. Not that it should have been much of an issue, since this place was abandoned.  
  
The alarm went off anyway, detecting two blue court gems without a white escort.  
  
“Ignore that.” Sapphire said. “It’s not an issue.”  
  
“What? But White Diamond will-”  
  
“She is bubbled.” Sapphire said. Aquamarine blinked in surprise, and she elaborated. “Blue Diamond bubbled her. I forget that I don’t actually know how long you were bubbled for.”  
  
“Is Pink Diamond’s most recent colony still Eclipse?” Aquamarine asked.  
  
Sapphire nodded, trying not to think about that place too much.  
  
She’d just been trying to deliver her warning to Pink Diamond when she-  
  
She was-  
  
_I t p o u n d s a g a i n s t t h e w a l l s . I t w i l l n e v e r b e t h e s a m e a g a i n . T i m e b l e e d s i n t h r o u g h t h e c r a c k s ._  
  
“Uh, are you okay?” Aquamarine asked.  
  
“Did I freeze again?” Sapphire asked. She looked at her hand, just to make sure. Yes, yes. Fine. It’s fine. Everything is-  
  
_“Hey! Listen!”_ Aquamarine shouted, fluttering in front of Sapphire’s face. “What was that all about? You just froze and your gem was glowing.”  
  
“...I’ve been shattered before.” Sapphire admitted. “Twice, actually. But the most recent time was while I was in the middle of a vision.”  
  
“They can repair shattered gems, now?” Aquamarine asked in amazement.  
  
“Only White Diamond can. She has always been able to. She is just capricious with who she deems worthy to… repair.” Sapphire answered. “Ever since then, however, I haven’t… worked properly. My future vision is abnormal. I can see… a _lot._ Every branching future, that splits into even _more_ branching futures. It’s like… a river. A river that splits into creeks, or pools into lakes, or careens down waterfalls. But despite all that…”  
  
She looked to her gem again. Her fractured blue gem, glowing softly. Light seeped out of the surface level hairline cracks. It looked like a web.  
  
“When White Diamond repairs a gem, they are not supposed to remember the process. Of getting shattered, _or_ of getting repaired. And I don’t, technically. But I do see futures where I get shattered _again._ And I’ve _been_ seeing them ever since I was shattered the second time. It… scares me.”  
  
_T i m e r e p e a t s i n t h e s a m e u n e n d i n g p a t t e r n s . A t h o u s a n d l i v e s , a l l t h e s a m e , a l l c o n v e r g e d o n o n e w o u n d e d m i n d , o n e f r a c t u r e d g e m . S h e c a n s e e i t a l l n o w ._  
  
“Ah…!” Sapphire gasped, falling over. Aquamarine darted over to her, actually… concerned. She showed an emotion besides arrogance.  
  
“Your clarity? _Sapphire?_”  
  
She looked to her gem. It was still there. She just… had to check. Every time. She never knew when she would lapse into a vision and never return.  
  
“I’m okay.” She said, her voice quiet.  
  
“No, you’re not.” A new voice said.  
  
Her eye widened. It was _her_ again!  
  
The air grew frigid as the White Sapphire descended from above.  
  
“How did you- This isn’t what I Saw!”  
  
“No. All _you_ can see is yourself dying. It sounds miserable.” White Sapphire said. “I can put you out of your misery. Isn’t that the treatment for rebels, anyway?”  
  
Blades of ice erupted from the ground, but they suddenly halted and shattered when Aquamarine flew forwards, snapping her wand out of her hair. “Are you _actually_ daft?” She glared. _“Her?_ A rebel? Aren’t _you_ the one going around sabotaging warp pads and attacking gems on important missions?”  
  
“You shouldn’t be involved with this.” White Sapphire said, turning her gaze to Aquamarine. “It won’t end well for you. And you can trust me on that. Unlike the broken one behind you, _I_ can see the unchanging path of time as it stretches onward.”  
  
“That’s the problem with you Sapphires.” Aquamarine smirked. “You’re _so_ concerned with what’s coming that you never _look behind you._”  
  
Aquamarine slammed an icicle into White Sapphire from behind with her wand, sending her flying forward, and in the same motion, she grabbed the Sapphire in a stasis bubble.  
  
With a flick of her wrist, Aquamarine sent the Sapphire flying so far away that she simply disappeared.  
  
“She wasn’t… supposed to _be_ here.” Sapphire said. “My plan, it’s… How does she _know_ about it?”  
  
“Are you okay, your clarity?”  
  
“I am, thank you.” She nodded. “It’s just… My future vision shimmers around her and I don’t know why. I can see where she is if I concentrate, but never when she’s coming.”  
  
“She didn’t seem that omniscient.” Aquamarine boasted. “I surprised her.”  
  
“Or she let you hit her. She’s… nihilistic. If she knows that she is fated to be hit, then she will not try to dodge.” Sapphire said. She suddenly realised something. “...At least, that is how she _used_ to act. I don’t know… I think what I’m doing may actually be working against her. She’s… confused. She’s taking action against me because I was being unpredictable.”  
  
“I think I understand her a little better.” Sapphire said. “Now, let’s depart.”

* * *

Earth.  
  
Pink Diamond’s first colony. Her proudest triumph.  
  
It was strange to be here. It was an old colony, there were very few gems. And what few gems there were here actually had a _reason_ to be there.  
  
Sapphire arriving like this was unprecedented, but at this point, she honestly didn’t care. She’d come so far. She just needed that artifact.  
  
“So. What are we here for?” Aquamarine asked. “I mean, it’s not like you’d need to remind me normally. I _do_ have a perfect memory, after all. But that doesn’t help me if you keep saying cryptic things and don’t explain it.”  
  
“No, it’s okay. She won’t be able to stop us, here. She’s lost her chance.” Sapphire said. “There’s… an artifact here. Underwater, somewhere.”  
  
She summoned a light screen from her gem, showing the details about it that she got from the archives.  
  
“It’s… so small. What does it do?”  
  
“I don’t know. My future vision goes… blurry around it. And if mine does, _hers_ definitely will.”  
  
“So where is it?” Aquamarine asked.  
  
“Underwater. I know the shrine has a warp pad, but beyond that, I have no idea.” Sapphire said. “You should land us at the galaxy warp. We will at least be able to use the domestic warp network.”  
  
“Mmh.” Aquamarine nodded. “Here. Facet 5 galaxy warp.”  
  
“Thank you, Aquamarine.”  
  
“Do you… still need my help, your clarity? I got you to Earth.”  
  
“Hm… Yes. More specifically your wand, but as you cannot return to Homeworld right now, you may as well help me.”  
  
“Wait, what?”  
  
“Oh. Yes. I suppose I forgot to mention. I didn’t technically have the authority to release you from the bubble room.” Sapphire said. “When my Diamond finds out you have been set free, she will want to see you shattered. However, if you help me with this, Pink Diamond will likely be thankful enough to protect you.”  
  
_“What?!”_ Aquamarine shrieked. “This is bad… I… No, I’m certain I angered Pink Diamond in the past.”  
  
“Well, this will likely make it up to her.”  
  
“...I hope. I’ve done enough to disappoint the Diamonds…”  
  
“You are going to help me save Pink Diamond.” Sapphire said. “And I will say that my future vision showed your release being useful. That will be enough.”  
  
“We are here. Come on.” Sapphire said, stepping out of the ship.  
  
Something was… wrong.  
  
“Where’s the Cinnabar?” Aquamarine asked.  
  
“There.” Sapphire said, pointing to a small red square cut gem. Poofed, sitting on the floor.  
  
“There’s some ice here.” Aquamarine said, pointing to the central warp pad, the one that was linked to Homeworld.  
  
“No. There’s no way. She _couldn’t_ have been here. I- I can see her, right now! She’s travelling in White Diamond’s palace.” Sapphire said.  
  
“So then what- Hey!” Aquamarine shouted, flicking her wand out to grab at something. Sapphire turned, and came face to face with- it was that Pearl again. White’s Pearl. The one that had shattered her twice before.  
  
_W h a t w o u l d i t b e l i k e , t o e x p e r i e n c e a n e n d i n g ? S h e c a n s e e f o r e v e r , a n d e v e n s h e c a n ‘ t s e e t h a t f u t u r e ._  
  
“Round three?” She cocked her head, gripping her spear.  
  
“No, no…” Sapphire looked at her gem and then hid it behind her form, desperate to _not_ let it be shattered a third time.  
  
“Relax. I was joking.” She laughed. “I don’t know where I am.”  
  
“You’re on Earth, you _dullard._” Aquamarine rolled her eyes, keeping her wand pointed at the Pearl. “Step away from her.”  
  
“Earth? I shouldn’t be here.” She vaulted over the two blue gems, landing just in front of Aquamarine’s ship. “I don’t know why the galaxy warp isn’t working, but I need to go.”  
  
“You little-”  
  
“Wait.” Sapphire commanded. “The galaxy warp network was compromised by a rogue White Sapphire. How did _you_ get here?”  
  
“A White Sapphire? The _same_ White Sapphire that trapped me in ice and sent me flying through the warp stream aimlessly?” Pearl asked.  
  
“Most likely.” Sapphire nodded.  
  
“Well, if I see her, I am sticking a spear through her gem. In the meantime, _I have to go._” Pearl said, vanishing inside the ship.  
  
“That’s my _ship,_ you clod! You pebble! Dastard! Fiend! I’ll ruin you, I’ll-”  
  
“She’s gone.” Sapphire placed a hand on Aquamarine’s shoulder.  
  
“Damn it!” Aquamarine shouted. “So _how_ exactly are we going to get back?”  
  
“...I don’t know.” Sapphire admitted. “I don’t really know what I’m doing anymore. This is getting annoyingly convoluted. My initial plan was supposed to take five or ten minutes.”  
  
“Did it include me?”  
  
“...No.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
The two of them looked off to the side awkwardly. Their moment was interrupted by the sight of the Cinnabar finally reforming.  
  
“No, please, don’t-” The Cinnabar blinked. “Um…”  
  
“You are safe now.” Sapphire said, soothingly.  
  
“Oh! Your clarity!” The Cinnabar saluted. “What a, um… surprise! T-To see you here! I wasn’t informed that you were coming-”  
  
“Because I did not send a message ahead.” Sapphire said. She summoned the light screen again, showing the artifact that she was looking for. “My future vision, and Pink Diamond’s orders, have led me to this. Do you know where the shrine it is housed in is located?”  
  
“The Sea Shrine?” The Cinnabar paused and called up a screen of her own, a rapidly scrolling list of every warp location on Earth. “It’s in Facet 11, your clarity. But unless you have something ancient like a warp whistle, you’ll have to go there manually. Y-Your clarity.”  
  
“A warp whistle? Does anyone even still _use_ those?” Aquamarine scoffed.  
  
“The White Sapphire does.” Sapphire said. “That is how she sent the White Pearl here.”  
  
“White Pe- S-She’s not still here, is she?” Cinnabar asked, her knees quivering.  
  
“No. She _stole_ my_ ship._ When I find that rebel…”  
  
“Pink Diamond will be monumentally displeased if you were to harm her.” Sapphire said, returning her attention to the Cinnabar. “Very well. If that is how it must be, then we will simply travel there ourselves. In the meantime, it is as Aquamarine said. Her ship has been stolen, and we have no way back.”  
  
“W-Well, there’s the, um… g-g-galaxy warp, your clarity…?” Cinnabar said, unsurely. She certainly didn’t wish to imply that Sapphire was an idiot for not noticing the galaxy warp they were standing on.  
  
“It has been sabotaged. Can you repair it?”  
  
“U-Um… maybe…” The Cinnabar hummed, digging around in her gem for a laser cutter. She made a careful incision in the center of the pad, and pulled out the core. “No. Not on my end.”  
  
“Ugh.” Aquamarine groaned. “What’s wrong with it?”  
  
“Nothing.” Cinnabar said, slotting the core back and resealing the cut she made with a vial of green regenerative fluid. “It’s the receiving end’s problem. Don’t worry, your clarity, I’ll call ahead and make sure this gets fixed.”  
  
“It had better.” Sapphire said, flatly. Cinnabar froze in fear for a second, but nodded and saluted. “Come, Aquamarine.”

* * *

“I don’t _ want _ to sound whiny, but _ are we there yet? _ Just out of curiosity, of course.”  
  
“No.” Sapphire said, pursing her lips as they flew over the wreckage of some long-crumbled sea spire. It was very likely that the battery powering the gravity well had run out, and no one had been around to replace it.  
  
An hour later, she asked again.  
  
“How much longer is this going to _take_?”  
  
“Another hour, just to reach Facet 11. From then, who knows. We will have to scour the ocean. It could take ten minutes, or it could take a year.”  
  
“Fantastic.”  
  
Another hour passed.  
  
“We’re in Facet 11 now, right?” Aquamarine asked.  
  
“Yes.” Sapphire nodded. She didn’t turn to face her, or she’d see the subtle scowl.  
  
It cut right through her eye, suddenly. A blind spot in her vision. A glimmering golden light that she could see forever. Whatever this artifact was, time flowed _around_ it, and it hurt Sapphire just _looking_ at it.  
  
“There it is.” She said, pointing to a glass structure underwater.  
  
“_Finally._” Aquamarine snapped, diving underwater in a little bubble. She got her wand out and grabbed Sapphire too before she could object, taking her underwater and keeping her dry.  
  
Sapphire blinked and suddenly she was inside. She did, however, see Aquamarine returning the wand to her hair, so she could surmise what happened.  
  
“Wow.” Aquamarine stared, amazed, at all the ornate hourglasses. “So… _what_ exactly are we looking for?”  
  
“It’s not possible for you to forget.” Sapphire said. “I showed you the picture.”  
  
“Right.” Aquamarine said, quickly. “I meant where is it?”  
  
Sapphire could see it, though. On a bench, on the far side of the room. To her, it was shining brightly, enough to blind her. Like she was staring at a dying star.  
  
“You need to use your stasis wand to move all the big hourglasses out of the way. If we touch one, the shrine will collapse for another century.”  
  
“Right.” She nodded.  
  
Sapphire walked over to the bench that it was resting on. “Here it is…” She said, squinting behind her bangs. It was even brighter up close.  
  
“Great, we found it.” Aquamarine sighed. “Now what?”  
  
Sapphire picked the small hourglass up and weighed it in her hands. “Now… We do this.”  
  
It glowed yellow, and flashed, and suddenly they were both back on Homeworld. Sapphire could see herself in front of her, concentrating hard on locating the White Sapphire.  
  
She was now in the past, about twelve hours ago. “What in the abyss-” Aquamarine gasped.  
  
“...I finally get it.” Sapphire said, quietly. “I know why I kept seeing myself be shattered.”  
  
“Your clarity?”  
  
“We can’t _both_ exist.”  
  
“Wait, you’re going to _shatter_ her?” Aquamarine gaped.  
  
“Yes. I’m going to shatter myself.” She said, placing the hourglass on the ground.  
  
“Yourself?”  
  
“We are in the past, Aquamarine. If I shatter my past self… I’ll be a living paradox.”  
  
“And that won’t… destroy the fabric of reality?”  
  
“No. It will likely just create a fractured timeline. T-The specifics aren’t important, anyway. The important part is that the White Sapphire _cannot_ detect me.” Sapphire said. She held her gem hand out, and instantly the room grew frigid.  
  
“Your clarity, I can’t just… _let_ you shatter her. Uh, yourself.”  
  
“_You_ shouldn’t exist either. You are still bubbled as of this moment.” Sapphire said. “I imagine explaining that to anyone would be difficult.”  
  
Aquamarine paled at that, and slowly backed away, her wings growing stiff with fear. “What… What do I do, then?”  
  
“Well, first, once I shatter my old self, you must take her shards and make _sure_ they are melted down. They _cannot_ be repaired. Secondly, take this-” Sapphire pointed to the miniature hourglass orb. “-to the archives. If you say you are with me- no, wait, this was before I talked to that Jade… Nevermind, just take it there. After that, I suggest you take your ship and disappear. Maybe head to a remote colony.”  
  
“Your clarity…”  
  
“Thank you.” She said, raising shards of ice from the ground.  
  
“Sapphire!” Aquamarine shouted, freezing Sapphire and her projectiles in place. She picked up the hourglass, and zapped them back to just after they left.  
  
“Wh-” Sapphire looked around, and then frowned in realisation. “What have you done?”  
  
“This plan is absolutely _janked,_ your clarity.”  
  
“Don’t take that language with me.” Sapphire snapped. “I’m _still_ your superior in this case.”  
  
“I…” Aquamarine shuddered. “I know. And you’re _insane!_”  
  
She bubbled the hourglass orb, letting it float above her head. “I’m going to put this thing in the archives where it belongs. You… Oh, I don’t know…”  
  
“Give it to me.” Sapphire said. “I don’t have time for this.”  
  
“You’re right. You _don’t_ have time.” Aquamarine taunted, brushing her fingers across one of the other hourglasses as she fluttered back to the warp pad.  
  
“It- That’s of no consequence. We already have the magical one.” Sapphire sighed, stepping on to the warp pad.  
  
“I have it.” Aquamarine corrected. “You’re not getting it. _Please, _Sapphire. Find another way to hunt White Sapphire.”  
  
“I- But- My future vision.” Sapphire said. “It… It _led_ me to that artifact. I _need_ it to serve Pink Diamond.”  
  
“No you don’t, you dull rock.” Aquamarine rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you say that your future vision alone was better than hers? That was rhetorical, by the way. I remember _exactly_ what you said.”  
  
“I… Yes. I did.”  
  
“So _ swim. _ ” She gurgled, suddenly noticing the water level. It would probably help if one of them warped back to the galaxy warp, but they were having a moment.  
  
They both sat down on the warp pad, water well and truly having filled the shrine.  
  
“...Swim, huh?” Sapphire mumbled. The water had lifted her hair up, revealing her frowning eye.  
  
“I don’t understand future vision, but it sounds like you’ve just been letting yours lead you around on a wild aquatic avian organic chase.”  
  
“...A what?”  
  
“Don’t ask. Blue Diamond just wanted to make a gift to Pink Diamond’s Organic Zoo, once. Ugh.” Aquamarine shivered. “My point is this. If your future vision is like a river, then you should swim in another direction. Just following it blindly sounds like what that White Sapphire is doing.”  
  
“I… I wasn’t trying to be like her. The opposite, actually. I was trying to be as unpredictable as possible.” Sapphire said. “But… Those were minor pool hops. In the end, I was still fixated on _that._ Because my future vision told me so.”  
  
There were some quiet water noises. No organic sea life, thankfully.  
  
“Ugh…” Sapphire groaned. “I have too much to think about. I… I had better just return to Pink Diamond. Admit that I failed my task. Take whatever punishment she gives me.”  
  
“Do you think the galaxy warp is fixed yet?”  
  
“It’s… a likely future.”

* * *

“I am sorry, my Diamond.” Sapphire sighed, bowing low before Pink Diamond. “I could not locate the means to defeat the White Sapphire. I have… failed.”  
  
“Failed?” Pink quirked her brow. “Sapphire, what the heck are you talking about? You never even _started_ your task! I just wanted you to _locate_ the White Sapphire, not run off to Earth looking for a magical time travel orb!”  
  
“I know, your luminous radiance. But my future vision, it… it led me there… I thought that I could use it to defeat the White Sapphire and that would fulfill my orders.”  
  
“Sapphire…” Pink Diamond leaned forward from her throne, and Sapphire felt a faint chill run up her proverbial spine. Her dress snapped frozen to the ground, as she looked the _mildly displeased_ Diamond in her eyes. “_Where_ is the White Sapphire?”  
  
“I… I don’t… I can’t See her, my Diamond…”  
  
“Ugh.” Pink Diamond sighed, reclining in her crystalline throne. “So… You lost two of my Amethyst guards, freed _Aquamarine,_ fought the White Sapphire and lost her, travelled to _Earth,_ found my Pearl and then lost _her_, and… what? Did I miss anything?”  
  
“No, my Diamond.”  
  
“Oh, right. And you _can’t locate the White Sapphire._ You only had one job and I trusted _you,_ a twice shattered Sapphire of all gems, to do it. I… I _thought_ I could trust you.”  
  
Sapphire bowed her head in immense shame, waiting for the inevitable future where Pink Diamond had her finally harvested beyond repair.  
  
“Oh, erm, m-my Diamond, I sincerely apologise for interrupting, b-but-”  
  
“Not now, Holly.”  
  
“N-No, erm, y-you can’t punish this Sapphire. She is my Diamond’s. I-In fact, she is quite… annoyed that you ordered her around at all.”  
  
“Tell her that will be of no consequence.” Sapphire said. She looked at Holly Blue, then back at Pink Diamond. “I wish to transfer to this court. I _want_ to try and make this right, my Diamond. You have every right to not trust me, but…”  
  
“I have more than every right to not trust you, Sapphire. I have several _reasons_ now, actually.” Pink glared. Panic shot through her form. Every part of her was screaming to beg and plead and grovel for forgiveness.  
  
But she kept her head cool, trying to force herself to be calm. She could still salvage this. It was fine, everything was-  
  
_S h e c o u l d a l m o s t s e e i t a l l . N o w s h e i s b l i n d , a i m l e s s , a n d c o n f u s e d ._  
  
“I’m… broken.” She whispered inaudibly, staring at her faintly broken gem. Hairline cracks marred the surface, thankfully not running deeper than that.  
  
“Here, let me take a look at that gem.” Pink ordered, her eyes softened considerably. She always was compassionate…  
  
“I should be harvested, my Diamond. I clearly do not work properly anymore.” Sapphire bowed her head.  
  
“Shut your mouth and come up here.” Pink snapped. Sapphire obeyed, wordlessly. It was… closer than she’d ever like to get to a Diamond.  
  
Pink took her hand, and examined the fractured gem.  
  
She kissed it. It glimmered briefly, but nothing changed. “Oh, White…” She growled.  
  
“I apologise that I could not be healed, my Diamond.” Sapphire said, somberly.  
  
“You have enough to be sorry for without adding on problems that _other_ gems caused.” Pink said. “Look… You can join my court. I don’t know what you’ll do… I’ll have to figure that out… But for right now, I want it to be clear that you’re joining so I can punish you.”  
  
“Y-Your radiance, you can’t-”  
  
“I’m pretty sure I can do _anything,_ Holly Blue. I am, after all, a Diamond, aren’t I?” Pink smiled haughtily, booping the stunned Agate on her nose. “That will be all.”  
  
Holly autonomously left the room, carried out mostly by the order to leave rather than any semblance of conscious thought.  
  
Sapphire flashed and altered her blue dress into something more fitting for her new status.  
  
“...There _is_ one thing I do want to tell you, my Diamond.” Sapphire said. “A vision has just come to me, revealed by your pink… ness.” Was that the best she could do? There was too much pink right now, her vision was overwhelmed. And her thoughts were weakened by the intense vision. “You must discover what happened a century ago on your Eclipse colony. It is… imperative that you know.”  
  
“Every time I try to ask, no one will tell me anything.” Pink said.  
  
“You will have to dig deeper.” Sapphire said. “...That is all I know, my Diamond. If you will allow me to be excused, I have to prepare for the punishment you will inevitably give me.”  
  
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Pearl, have her taken to a cell. _Not_ a dark one. And placed under Ruby and Carnelian guard. In fact, replace all the guards in the prisoners with fire gems. Pretty sure I have Pyropes on standby from Baysee.” Pink Diamond ordered. “I don’t want that White Sapphire freezing any more soldiers and freeing any more prisoners.”  
  
“As you command, my Diamond.”  
  
Sapphire nodded slightly, and stepped out of the pink throne room. She let herself be escorted by the four rubies, each emitting enough heat to thaw out the frost under her dress. “We won’t let anyone take you, your clarity!” One of them boasted.  
  
“I can foresee you being very good at your jobs.” She nodded, allowing two of them to remain outside the cell, and the other two to guard the door from the inside. She was meant to be a prisoner, but they each puffed their chests out with pride at that.  
  
She lowered herself to the ground, thankful that this was not a light deprivation cell. She searched with her future vision, exploring the rivers of time.  
  
She sat up, with a jolt, her eye wide with terror.  
  
_P i n k D i a m o n d w i l l f a l l ._

**Author's Note:**

> I love Jade so much. Specifically this Jade: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/2/26/Green_Jade_%28Left%29_by_RylerGamerDBS.png/revision/latest?cb=20190202201429
> 
> Also holy shit writing Emerald is hard. I can't capture her character.
> 
> Discord: endersass#7192  
Twitter: @endersass


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